She hoped to be wise and reasonable in time; but alas! alas! she must confess to herself that she was not wise yet.

Another circumstance very essential for her to know, was how long he meant to be in Bath; he had not mentioned it, or she could not recollect it.  He might be only passing through.  But it was more probable that he should be come to stay.  In that case, so liable as every body was to meet every body in Bath, Lady Russell would in all likelihood see him somewhere.  Would she recollect him?  How would it all be?

She had already been obliged to tell Lady Russell that Louisa Musgrove was to marry Captain Benwick.  It had cost her something to encounter Lady Russell’s surprise; and now, if she were by any chance to be thrown into company with Captain Wentworth, her imperfect knowledge of the matter might add another shade of prejudice against him.

The following morning Anne was out with her friend, and for the first hour, in an incessant and fearful sort of watch for him in vain; but at last, in returning down Pulteney Street, she distinguished him on the right hand pavement at such a distance as to have him in view the greater part of the street.  There were many other men about him, many groups walking the same way, but there was no mistaking him.  She looked instinctively at Lady Russell; but not from any mad idea of her recognising him so soon as she did herself.  No, it was not to be supposed that Lady Russell would perceive him till they were nearly opposite.  She looked at her however, from time to time, anxiously; and when the moment approached which must point him out, though not daring to look again (for her own countenance she knew was unfit to be seen), she was yet perfectly conscious of Lady Russell’s eyes being turned exactly in the direction for him—­ of her being, in short, intently observing him.  She could thoroughly comprehend the sort of fascination he must possess over Lady Russell’s mind, the difficulty it must be for her to withdraw her eyes, the astonishment she must be feeling that eight or nine years should have passed over him, and in foreign climes and in active service too, without robbing him of one personal grace!

At last, Lady Russell drew back her head.  “Now, how would she speak of him?”

“You will wonder,” said she, “what has been fixing my eye so long; but I was looking after some window-curtains, which Lady Alicia and Mrs Frankland were telling me of last night.  They described the drawing-room window-curtains of one of the houses on this side of the way, and this part of the street, as being the handsomest and best hung of any in Bath, but could not recollect the exact number, and I have been trying to find out which it could be; but I confess I can see no curtains hereabouts that answer their description.”

Anne sighed and blushed and smiled, in pity and disdain, either at her friend or herself.  The part which provoked her most, was that in all this waste of foresight and caution, she should have lost the right moment for seeing whether he saw them.